The first heartbeat of Barcelona’s new Carmen Thyssen Museum bears the LABASAD seal
LABASAD students Sílvia Albanell, Andrea López, and Julieth Ceballos have taken centre stage in an intervention that marks a turning point in Barcelona’s cultural narrative: the birth of the new Carmen Thyssen Museum.
Housed in the iconic Cine Comedia, on the corner of Passeig de Gràcia and Gran Via, the museum has begun its journey with an ephemeral action where the past and future converge. The starting point was as honest as it was symbolic: the cinema’s original seats, stripped of their function, waiting to be reinterpreted as pieces of contemporary art.
The project presented by our students, titled “Butaca Latent” (Latent Seat), moves away from conventional furniture to propose a piece with an organic character. Constructed through the manipulation of polystyrene, the work conceals a secret that speaks directly to the sensory memory of those who once inhabited the Comedia’s halls.
At its core beats an anatomical heart crafted from popcorn. This choice of material is not accidental, it is a metaphor for art as a living organism. The project understands that culture vibrates and manifests across all disciplines, from celluloid to canvas, and that it is the spectator’s enthusiasm (both the cinema-goer of yesterday and the museum-visitor of tomorrow) that truly completes the work.
What began as an intense workshop session of volumetric experimentation and stained hands has ultimately transcended the physical walls of the museum. The proposal by Sílvia, Andrea, and Julieth did not only capture the attention of figures such as Javier Mariscal, Jordi Labanda, and Carmen Thyssen herself, but has also reached the wider public sphere.
We are delighted to share that the newspaper El Periódico has highlighted this milestone under the headline “El Thyssen Barcelona exhibe sus primeras obras en el antiguo Cine Comèdia” (The Thyssen Barcelona exhibits its first works), underlining the privilege of our students in being the first collective to exhibit in this new chapter for the cultural centre. The display, which places experimental design at the heart of the city, will be on view in the Passeig de Gràcia.
Congratulations to all three for understanding that design is, above all, a tool for evoking emotion and transforming institutions.
At LABASAD, we believe in an education connected to the real world and contemporary culture. If you are looking for projects that challenge the limits of traditional formats, explore our Online Masters. 👈🏼